DRV3: Rare Findings
by Juwana Man
Summary: A collection of DRV3 rare pairs. Taking Requests


AU where Monokuma hasn't offered any motives, Maki is just a tiny bit less anti-social and Ryoma doesn't want to die (but is still a self-loathing gremlin 3)

It was the third time Ryoma had caught her looking at him this week and the nth time he had caught her since they had woken up in this prison school.

Now, it wasn't easy to unsettle a guy like Ryoma. He's seen some shit. Watched a guy get stab literally over spilled milk in prison. Even had more than a few bodies under his own belt. Not much got under the tennis player's skin.

So when he noticed that Maki Harukawa, Ultimate Child Caregiver, had made it a habit to seemingly try to bore holes through his hat and into his skull whenever he was in her vicinity, Ryoma had to confess that he was starting to feel just the slightest bit agitated. And the fact that him and her, along with fourteen other students, were trapped in this hellhole of an academy where they're forced to participate in a battle royal to the death didn't exactly help to soothe his nerves.

It was morning and one of those rare instances where all the students had gathered in the cafeteria for breakfast (prepared by Kirumi, of course). He was amongst the first to arrive- a habit he'd picked up in prison. The faster you ate, the faster you could return to your cell. Or room, in this case. While he could have just had Tojo deliver food to his room like she did for Harukawa and occasionally Oma, but he didn't like the idea of her going through the trouble for the likes of him.

He grabbed a plate and filled it with a variety of items from the admittedly impressive spread Kirumi had set out. He settled himself at the end of the table closest to the kitchen and started eating his meal quietly. He didn't look up when the rest of the students began to file in and only offered a grunt of acknowledgment in response to Kaede's and Gonta's morning greetings. Soon, the dining hall hummed with chatter.

Normally, Ryoma just kept his head down during group meals, not saying much to anybody, but a sudden tingling sensation nagged at the back his head. He just knows her eyes were on him. Wanting to confirm his suspension, Ryoma looked up from his plate, casually surveying around the room.

For a group of students forced to play some insane killing game, they seemed relatively at ease. He spied Gonta and Tsumugi sitting towards the middle of the table, intently listening to Angie's rambling about how Atua came to her in a dream once in the form of a giant talking cicada (very much to Gonta's delight). Across from them sat a groggy Himiko lazily stuffing her mouth with French toast, mumbling something about needing to restore her MP while Tenko excitedly hovered next to her, even trying to feed the magician herself despite the shorter girl's chagrin. KI-B0 sat only a couple of seats away, uncomfortably squished between Miu and Kokichi. The robot seemed to be trying (and failing) to squirm away from their intrusive prodding and requests of "wanting to see what makes him tick". Korekiyo was seated in front of Ryoma, not interacting with anyone like he did but seemed perfectly content with just observing as he ate (how he did so without removing his mask, Ryoma didn't know).

The tennis player's attention was then drawn the five located at the opposite end of the table. Kaito seemed to be caught up in telling some sort of epic story, making wide gesturing motions, while Shuichi, though appreciative of the astronaut's enthusiasm, was trying to dodge his friends flailing. Rantaro and Kaede sat on the other side of them, chuckling at the scene before them. Maki was seated next to Kaito, completely disinterested in the astronaut's storytelling yet somehow managing to avoid his sporadic arm movements without moving her body.

Maki's fork hovered in midair, seemingly paused between bites. Her lips were slightly parted as she was staring-practically leering at the criminal. It was the first time Ryoma had made direct eye contact with the girl, only catching glimpses of her watching him out the sides of his eyes. Honestly, for someone who took care of children, she looked as if she could kill a man with her eyes alone. When their gazes met she had barely even flinched, eyes only widening just a fraction before shifting her attention towards her food as if she wasn't just eyeing at the former inmate.

Initially, he didn't pay it any mind. She wasn't the only student trapped here that had thrown a few glances his way. And who could blame them? With his short stature and a deep voice that heavily contrasted with his near child-like features, even Ryoma could admit he was kind of a strange looking guy. It wouldn't have been the first time he had turned a few heads.

But it's been weeks now. Everyone's, more or less, used to one another's looks and personalities. Yet, even after he made it clear that anyone should steer clear of him, to pretend like he wasn't even there- he was a cold-bolded killer after all- her eyes always seem to find their way back to the tennis player. Ryoma had to wonder-what interest could the SHSL caregiver have in a murderer like him?

He finished his meal and headed toward the doors of the dining hall. Without even looking back, he felt Maki's crimson gaze on him as he left. He pulled out a stick of candy and popped it into his mouth.

Huh. What a weird girl.

He decided that once he got the chance, he would just flat out ask her what was up with all the strange looks.

Apparently, that chance came not five minutes later.

Ryoma felt the familiar prickle of eyes upon him as he made his way towards the dormitory. He paused right before turning to enter the dorms.

"Harukawa," he said, not even turning around.

Maki halted only a few steps behind the convict. "Didn't think you'd be so perceptive".

"Didn't think a caretaker needed to know how to follow someone without making a sound. Besides, you kinda need to be when you have the mafia after you." Ryoma turned to face her, one hand nestled in his jacket pocket and the other fiddling with his candy cigarette. Guess now's a time as good as any.

"Hey, Haruwaka- "

"You're probably wondering about all the weird looks I've been giving you lately." she interrupted. He's slightly taken back by her straightforwardness, but he shouldn't really all that surprised. Maki wasn't one to waste time with pleasantries.

"To say the least, yeah. Though I guess I can't blame you too much. Can't expect you to be alright with sharing a school with a convicted killer."

"I'm not interested in your past," she stated bluntly. "nor I am interested in becoming the blackened and starting that stupid bear's killing game." Ryoma relaxed a little, releasing some of the tension he didn't realize was storing up in his small body. Then, without saying anything, Maki started walking-passing the tennis player and heading towards the gazebo further down. Ryoma took that as a sign to follow her.

They didn't exchange any words after they sat down underneath the wooden canopy. For a few minutes, they just sat in silence. Maki looked down at no particular point on the ground, carelessly stroking her thin fingers through her hair. Ryoma quietly munched on another stick of candy. Finally, the caregiver spoke up.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a baby face?"

Ryoma nearly dropped his candy.

"What?"

Maki still didn't look at him when she repeated herself. "Your face. You look like a kid." She closed her eyes and sighed. "You remind me of someone I know. Well, used to know anyway. From my childhood.

"I see…" he said slowly. "Childhood friend?"

She shook her head. "Just some kid I was forced to watch when I lived in an orphanage." Ryoma was surprised to hear that she had grown up an orphan but let her continue. "He was a real pain. He was pretty young when he arrived at the orphanage and would cry all the time. Since the older kids had to watch over the younger ones, he kind of bonded with me and would cling to me wherever I went. It was a drag to have a brat who was constantly bawling his eyes out follow you around.

The short boy chuckled at this, earning a glare from the dark-haired girl. Ryoma just shrugged. "You have to admit that the image of you being followed around some by a snot-nosed kid like a mother duck is kinda funny, even if you are the Super High School Level Child Caregiver."

Her eyes softened. One finger started to wind itself in a single long strand of hair. "It doesn't suit me, right?" It seemed more like a statement that an actual question.

"I wouldn't say that. Don't know you well enough to make that judgment."

Her eyes lingered on him as if trying to gauge the sincerity of his words. She went on.

"Anyway, one day I finally got fed up with this kid sobbing day in and day out. So I told him off. Said that if he didn't quit crying that he would never get adopted and would stay at the orphanage until the day he died."

Ryoma let out a low whistle. "Harsh."

"Yeah." She unlatched her fingers from her hair and let her hands sink to her lap. "He must have thought so too because after I told him that, he just cried harder and louder than before. You could hear him wailing throughout the whole facility. The other kids started to get upset as well. I didn't want to get in trouble with the adults who ran the place, so I did the only thing I could think of."

With a swiftness far above that which was expected of a mere caregiver, Maki lunged towards the tennis player. A partially chewed candy stick clattered to the ground while Ryoma barely had time to react before he felt two slender arms wrap around his short frame. Despite her slim figure, her embrace was strong and warm, almost protective. It took a second for him to realize the Maki-

the Maki Harukawa-

the same stoic, rational sharp toughed, Maki Harukawa-

was hugging him.

"Harukawa, what are you-"

"I held him just like this.". The girl tightened her hold on the boy." and I told him that whatever's causing him pain or making him cry so much, he didn't need to suffer all alone

Hoshi didn't respond. It had been ages since he had been so close to another person. Memories of his family, his friends, his teammates, his girlfriend…memories he tried so hard to suppress…. They all came drifting back in his head and a dull ache begins to spread through his chest.

"This kid…he had a pretty difficult life. Apparently, his parents were pretty rotten to him. Left him with a lot of self-esteem issues. He had a lot of pent-up feelings that he didn't know how to deal with. So, I…I think when someone finally showed him a bit of kindness, he realized that he didn't need to deal with all these emotions by himself."

Maki pulled back, though keeping a firm grip on the short male's shoulders. "Listen, Hoshi" Ryoma looked up at her. It was the first time Maki had addressed him by his name. "This is probably that idiot Kaito rubbing off on me…but you don't have to suffer alone you know. I know you have your own issues and this might sound hypocritical coming from me but trying to distance yourself from everyone won't help with whatever hang-ups you're trying to handle on your own."

She released her hold and stood up, turning towards the academy. "I'm going to head back before that idiot and the others notice why I've been gone for so long." She hesitated for a moment, then turned back towards Ryoma.

"Kaede, Shuichi, even Kaito…. they're all here if you need to talk." She fiddled with the bow on her uniform. "And…me too. If you want." Without waiting for a reply, Maki spun on her heel and stalked back to the school.

Ryoma couldn't be positive from where he sat, (especially through the tears that threatened to escape his eyes and the hat used them to hide them) the but it almost looked as if a light blush had bloomed across her cheek.

"Thanks, Maki."


End file.
